Chiefs, MP condemn Nima youth vandalism

Opinion leaders and chiefs in Maamobi, a suburb of Accra have condemned rioting and vandalism by some Nima youth last Saturday following a shooting incident there.

The violence is reported to have occurred after a policeman shot a taxi driver in the area.

The angry youth charged on the police man and attempted to lynch him but workers of a restaurant came to the rescue of the policeman and decided to keep him in the restaurant.

The angry youth turned their anger on the owners of the restaurant and started vandalizing vehicles and the properties of the restaurant.

Some residents attributed the violence to tension between youth in the area and the police who they accused of arresting them for using motorbikes.

The police have denied the claims. Superintendent Nuhu Jango, head of the Nima divisional police command said they don’t chase people who abide by the law.

“We don’t go chasing people who ride genuine motorbikes; we don’t go chasing people who conduct themselves in line with the law. Those agitating are those who don’t want to obey the law and as far as police is concerned we will enforce the law but excesses will not be encouraged,” he stated.

Superintendent Jango said they are still talking to the family of the shot taxi driver and appealed to the residents not to take the law into their own hands.

Opinion leaders including chiefs and the MP for the area addressed a news conference on Monday calling on the police to increase patrol there to prevent a recurrence of the violence.

They also pledged to support the police in their efforts to arrest those involved in the vandalism.

Dr Mustapha Ahmed MP for Ayawaso East described the incident as dastardly and condemned it in no uncertain term

“It was evident from all accounts that the rampaging youth deliberately took advantage of the unfortunate volatile situation to loot and vandalise properties worth several thousands of cedis,” the MP said.